October is a lovely month for driving – especially in parts of north India where early morning haze slowly gives way to soft sunlight. The ambient lighting of the new GLC further softens the cabin’s mood, and its panoramic sunroof lets in enough of the dawn to remind you why road trips matter. Especially a road trip that takes you from luxury in motion to luxury at rest – from the cabin of a Mercedes-Benz to a hotel that celebrates our royal past, the ITC Mughal Agra.
The journey
Despite being more than a decade old, the Yamuna Expressway from Delhi to Agra is a charm, and lets you cover almost 200 km in 2.5 hours. As the expressway narrows and Agra’s skyline appears, the GLC transitions from highway speeds to city chaos, and its air suspension absorbs all unevenly paved lanes.
The ITC Mughal finally appears – like an ocean of calm in the commotion of Agra.
The hotel
The ITC Mughal, almost half a century old, complements the German SUV – the GLC feels at home parked in the marble courtyards with the manicured lawns of the hotel in the background. Among Agra’s luxury stays, the ITC Mughal stands out as a property where Indian sensibility meets global refinement – an ideal echo of the SUV itself.
Sprawling across 23 acres, the ITC Mughal is located 4 km away from the Taj Mahal. Its architecture – inspired by Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort – pays homage to the great Mughal builders of the past. It was the winner of the First Aga Khan Award for Architectural Excellence, in Asia, and till date, the only Indian hotel to have won this recognition.
Walls of the hotel adorn paintings inspired by Mughal courts and hunting expeditions, and it also has a miniature Mughal Garden. There are 233 opulent rooms and suites, recreating a paradise for the contemporary Mogul – full of splendour that was the hallmark of the Mughal dynasty.
No mention of ITC can be complete without talking about food – the ITC Mughal has several dining options, including the Peshawri (fine dining restaurant that specialises in cuisine from the North West Frontier of India, especially Dal Bukhara and Sikandari Raan), Taj Bano (buffet dining restaurant), Mughal Pavilion (all-day dining), and two bars (Maikhana, and Bagh E Bahar).
The car
The GLC is Mercedes-Benz India’s highest-selling SUV – its competitors are the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, and Lexus NX. Priced starting Rs 73.97 lakh, ex-showroom, the GLC’s got a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, 11.9-inch central display (angled towards the driver), very few buttons on the centre console, a lot of buttons on the steering wheel, and enough space for five adults.
It’s available in both petrol and diesel – my test unit, the GLC 300 4Matic (petrol), accelerated from 0-100 km/h in just 6.2 seconds, and returned fuel efficiency of 15 km/litre (mostly highway driving).
What we didn’t like
The GLC: The rear seat space is not generous enough for three adults; rear seat passengers don’t get electric sun-blinds; its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) is basic and not Level 2; and it is priced higher than all its competitors.
The ITC Mughal: Like any other large and old property, there are areas of improvement. One, while the suites and public areas are lavish, some parts of the hotel feel less contemporary than newer luxury hotels. Two, some fixtures and fittings have started to show their age. Three, unlike the Oberoi Amarvilas, the ITC Mughal is not within walking distance of the Taj Mahal. But the attention to detail of the staff, and prompt service is priceless.
